I have Getting Started in Electronics by Forrest M. Mimms, III which = I've been through a million times. (And each time I pick up something = new.) -----Original Message----- From: pic microcontroller discussion list = [mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of Bruce Partridge Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 18:33 To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: Re: [EE: ] what is a logic analyzer? I started electronics the same way the OP did. I have been in the = computer business for 25+ years, and didn't know what a pull up resister was. I bought the Horowitz book and found it impractical. I don't need to = know the theory, particularly when if you just put the parts together, it = works. And I am not going to become an engineer. I will always need someone to design good boards for manufacturing. OK, for all you hardware gurus, try to control your laughter: One of my first really good resources was Appendix C in Scott Edwards "Programming and Customizing the Basic Stamp Computer." That appendix, along with the Chapter 3 on "Electronic Components and Symbols" gave me = the fundamentals to build my first breadboard computer. Its the obvious = stuff that isn't obvious to me. - How to connect a led and diode and how to tell one end from the other - Why switches are better with a pull up than a pull down. - How to switch a high current load. - How to wire a voltage regulator. - Resistances in series and parallel. All of this is explained in about 20 pages making no assumptions about = what you already know. Perfect. The Mike Predko book, "Programming and Customizing PICmicro Microcontrollers" also had a lot of good stuff. But a lot of the book = is about computers, binary, and assembler. I didn't need help there. Bruce Partridge http://www.rebreather.ca > -----Original Message----- > From: pic microcontroller discussion list > [mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of Eisermann, Phil [Ridg/CO] > Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 9:06 AM > To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU > Subject: Re: [EE: ] what is a logic analyzer? > > > pic microcontroller discussion list wrote: > > What do I want to do? Not sure. I've been a programmer on > > mainframes my whole life, and at the beginning of this year my wife > > got me a little robot kit, from there I went to PIC's, and now I'm > > trying to learn electronics, something I've tried to understand = since > > I was a kid. (Is it a different way of thinking, electronics and > > programming?) > > > > So the truth is that I was programming Pic assembler in a couple of > > days, but it took me about a month to figure out what a pull-up > > resistor was, for example. (-: > > > > might be a good idea to get a book, then. If you don't already have = it, > get "The Art Of Electronics" by Horowitz and Hill. I think it would be > ideal for you. It isn't geared towards EE students, but it is not > dumbed down at all. It gets recommended on this list quite often and > covers a broad spectrum of topics. > > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different > ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. > --- > Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.686 / Virus Database: 447 - Release Date: 5/14/2004 > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.686 / Virus Database: 447 - Release Date: 5/14/2004 -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.663 / Virus Database: 426 - Release Date: 4/20/2004 =20 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.663 / Virus Database: 426 - Release Date: 4/20/2004 =20 -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.